Fight or heal?

Does the language you use matter when describing how you’re approaching your condition?

“I’m going to fight this disease!” vs. “I’m going to heal it from my body!”

I believe it’s worth considering as our physiology responds to the thoughts we have and words we say.

When we’re in fight mode, our body is in a stressed state and I’m not so sure if this is a useful internal state to be in when dealing with a disease. And so is language such as, ‘I’m going fight this cancer!’ actually useful?

This from David Hauser and Richard Wassersug in the Guardian, ‘War language applied to cancer is pervasive, polarizing, but of questionable medical benefit.’

When we get a cold, we rest – we don’t gear up for war! Perhaps it’s common sense; a calm internal environment makes for a better healing environment, and so language such as ‘I’m going to heal this cancer from my body!’ seems to me more useful.

There are other metaphors you can use too, like ‘turning the tide’, ‘climbing a mountain’, and ‘restore to balance’ – all of which are spirited without being war like.